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Original poster

IVF protocol change No Gonal F?

28 replies

heasmanne · 09/08/2021 18:07

Hi there,

I don't know if anyone has had a change of their meds for another round but my doctor is going to double my menopour and completely take away the Gonal F. Has anyone had this before? TIA

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Clt1983 · 09/08/2021 18:28

Hi @heasmanne. My clinic have taken away Gonal-F from my imminent third round after being on a high dosage for my second round. The aim of this round is to move away from creating more eggs (which Gonal F seemed to help with compared to my first cycle) and instead focus on a lower number of quality eggs. If you haven’t had many blastocysts or high quality ones previously, perhaps they’re shifting the focus in this direction by removing Gonal F for you?

Original poster
heasmanne · 09/08/2021 19:00

@Clt1983 Okay yes, they said that my numbers were all there but only 4 actually grew last time. I was a bit worried them saying they were taking it away completely but happy to try anything. I only got one blastocyst last time and it didn't stick. Have you started your new round yet? You have put my mind at ease thank you x

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Clt1983 · 09/08/2021 19:44

Glad to hear it @heasmanne. I had 7 eggs first time round and one blastocyst at 4BB. 12 eggs and one blastocyst of low ungradeable quality on my second. Neither worked so the aim is to improve the egg quality now and do ICSI too to improve our chances. Starting my third round on Wednesday. Feeling apprehensive as usual and wondering if actually this journey may end up in donor eggs or possibly the acceptance that this just isn’t going to happen for us. But in the meantime we just have to keep going…..

Original poster
heasmanne · 09/08/2021 20:26

@Clt1983 Yes we are having ICSI, it's so heartbreaking isn't it. Just wish we could see into the future so we at least get an idea of timeframes.
Well I have my fingers and toes crossed for you with the no Gonal F! Hopefully this is the right protocol for both of us. I am having a little break until October just to have a breather but I will be thinking of you x

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Clt1983 · 09/08/2021 21:09

Yep, just agonising. I’ll keep everything crossed for you too, a little break is the best thing. I had a 4 month break after my first and 3 months with this one. Hard to ever feel ready to plunge back into it knowing how difficult it can be but it’s helped to take some time out and remember I’m a living breathing woman, not just a collection of follicles and AMH/FSH stats! Today has been a down day but it’s a car of head down, get through it and even if it feels hopeless at times, I’m still giving myself a better chance than if I wasn’t doing it at all xx

Original poster
heasmanne · 09/08/2021 21:40

@Clt1983 yes! I feel like that at times, it's hard being surrounded by people who don't get it either at times. I know it's rubbish, the fact we have this on our minds and surviving a pandemic must be making us into warrior mums!

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Original poster
heasmanne · 21/10/2021 08:36

@Clt1983 how are you doing? X

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Clt1983 · 21/10/2021 10:47

Hi @heasmanne, thanks for checking in on me. Third cycle went very poorly. 15 eggs which was unexpected as we weren’t aiming to get that many but my body started producing a lot with the 375iu Menopir I was on. Only 6 fertilised (so ICSI made no difference for us) and none of them made it to blastocyst and were very slow to divide and were fragmented so it does seem to be egg quality. So nothing to transfer and freeze. It seems the more eggs I make the more the quality declines.

I’m a few weeks away from Cycle 4. Much less Menopur this time (150iu) and Clomid being used for the first time. This time we really are targeting a much lower number of eggs as my one 4BB embryo came from when I just had 7 eggs collected. Can’t say I’m looking forward to going through it all again but we’ll do what we have to. We asked about using donor eggs on this cycle but the doctor said he didn’t think that clinically we were at that stage yet. I think that will change if this cycle fails too.

How have you been doing? Has a break from it all helped? Are you doing/about to do your next cycle? X

Original poster
heasmanne · 21/10/2021 17:39

@Clt1983 Oh I am sorry to hear that, it is so frustrating and heartbreaking isn't it. Hoping they get this mix right for your 4th round. It's annoying we have to go through it all just to see if it will work or not :( just had our second and I had 150 menopur was a slight improvement but really not by much from the first one. Xx

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Reefy · 21/10/2021 21:11

@heasmanne Hi hope it's ok to join. I'm meant to be starting stims tomorrow for my
Second cycle (first failed in August) I was on Menopur 75ml & Gonal-F 75 last time but this time will just be Menopur 150ml so I'm just wondering if it changed anything for you this time?
Last time I had a day 3 transfer with none viable for freezing so wonder how this will work.

TheDutchess3 · 21/10/2021 21:27

@heasmanne @Reefy @Clt1983 will add my 5 cents...

My first protocol was on Menopur 150, ended up with 5 follicles, 5 collected, all mature, 3 fertilised, 1 day 5 embryo (early stage blastocyst that didn't stick) and nothing to freeze. I found it a very poor result and am still wondering why I got Menopur in the first place...

My second protocol was on Gonal 225: 16 follicles collected but only 8 mature, 5 fertilised, 1 day 3 put back (didn't stick), 3 day 3 frozen, 1 day 5 frozen (they freeze or transfer on day 3 in this clinic as default). So hard to compare in terms of blasto rate but I felt like the 2nd protocol was better, just wish there were more mature eggs.

Original poster
heasmanne · 21/10/2021 21:40

@Reefy hiya, that was my first protocol and I only got 4 eggs, 3 mature and one made it to day 5 had a transfer but didn't stick :(
This one I only had 150 menopur but got 7 eggs collected all 7 were mature and currently have 4 fertilised but waiting for day 3 update on Saturday. We are only one more in a better position than last time but my eggs responded well to just the menopur. Hopefully you will see better results xx

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Original poster
heasmanne · 21/10/2021 21:41

@TheDutchess3 it's so hard isn't it every round is completely different and they could even use the same medication. Have you got a FET booked? Xx

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Reefy · 21/10/2021 22:35

@heasmanne @TheDutchess3 thank you. It really is different for everyone isn't it. Last time they collected 9 all were mature then 6 fertilised. They are hoping to get & blastocyst this time & hopefully all being well some to freeze!

@heasmanne hope you are feeling ok & fingers crossed for your update on Saturday 🤞🥚 x

Clt1983 · 22/10/2021 13:12

Small update from me, had my nurse consultation earlier and she referenced 150iu of Gonal-F along with Clomid for my fourth cycle. I queried this as the doctor had said about using Menopur again. She spoke with the doctor after my call who said that at 150iu it would make very little difference whether I used Gonal-F or Menopur. I’ve opted to go with the Menopur as I still have 1200iu leftover from Cycle 3 which is in date.

Original poster
heasmanne · 22/10/2021 13:39

@Clt1983 that's strange, my doctor said that Gonal F (recruits the eggs) and menopur (helps them grow) surely they are two different medications so must do slightly different things? I wish they explained things to us better some time I think they are just guessing as much as we are Xxx

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Original poster
heasmanne · 22/10/2021 13:41

@Clt1983 yes I had some left over from first round and if I'm honest I made my own measurements and did more but it did mean one got really big so I slowed it down towards the end. Thinking we just get to know our bodies after each round lol xx

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Clt1983 · 22/10/2021 14:23

@heasmanne, strange isn’t it? I thought Menopur was meant to be better for egg quality and as it was the only stimulant used on the cycle when I had my best embryo I feel slightly more comfortable going with that (plus not paying the extra to have Gonal-F when I have Menopur taking up space in the fridge!

TheDutchess3 · 22/10/2021 15:01

I meant eggs collected of course, not follicles.

@heasmanne @Reefy,
I have had 3 FETs so far (in the middle of the 3rd one). 1 (from my day 5 embryo) resulted in a chemical. 1 more (7 cell embryo) left.

I have had 5 transfers in the past 8 months. All embryos were of good or excellent quality according to the docs.

As for Menopur, the doc in the 2nd clinic (I changed the clinic after the 1st ICSI) said she saw no reason for me to be on Menopur. From what I read in the internet it works best for women after 36-38 and I was 33 at the time of both ICSI treatments.

Original poster
heasmanne · 22/10/2021 20:46

@TheDutchess3 oh that is odd as they only gave me menopur this time and I'm 27. They told me I didn't need Gonal F as I had everything there they just need them to grow for ICSI. I guess each clinic has different protocols but just menopur definitely worked better for me this round than the mix first round x

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Original poster
heasmanne · 22/10/2021 20:51

@TheDutchess3 I am so sorry to hear about the transfers I really hope this is the one! We didn't have any to freeze after first round on one day 5 transfer but it didn't stick. Would be a miracle if we had any to freeze this round too but such a numbers game we are in isn't it xx

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TheDutchess3 · 23/10/2021 15:38

@heasmanne, thank you for sharing. I was actually going to complain about Menopur and such a bad IVF result... I did not know they give it to younger ladies too.

Thank you for the support! And good luck this round. When do you know how many embryos you ve got?

TheDutchess3 · 23/10/2021 15:40

Aw, I see you are going to get an update today and know for sure on Monday. Not too long to wait, fingers crossed for you!

Original poster
heasmanne · 23/10/2021 15:58

@TheDutchess3 thank you! Yes got a call this morning all 4 are still going strong but know a lot can change until Monday, just trying to keep busy but it's so hard isn't it Xx

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Clt1983 · 23/10/2021 17:14

@heasmanne Sounding positive though! Fingers crossed for the next couple of days xx